Gauge



Patented Jan. 6, 1942 UN1TED- vv"STATES,

PATENT! OFFICE This invention relates to gauges, more; particularly to gauges for, locatingr corner beads in archways and the like, and has for its principal object the provision vof a new 'andimproved gauge of this type.

It is a main object of the invention to pro vide a corner .bead gauge which'may be readily adjusted to permit its use upon walls of different thicknesses and'to permit setting the corner bead so as to provide for plaster thicknesses which may vary'over a Wide range.

Still another object of Vthe invention'lies in the provision of a gauge which is equipped with a level for checking the position of the corner beads in a horizontal plane.

'Still another object offthe invention lies in lthe provision of a g-auge which is of simple sturdy construction that can be made and used over -sa long period of time at low cost.

Further objects ofthe invention, not specifically mentioned here, will be apparentfromV the detailed description and claims which follow, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which a preferred embodiment `of the invention is shown by way of example and in which:

Figure 1 isr an elevational view of the gauge in position upon a wall section; A

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; l Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view, alongthe line 4-4 of Figure 1, looking in the ,direction of the arrows; l Figure 5 is a bottomside plan view, partly section, showing the level mounting; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a corner bead. Y, Modern construction practice employs arch-v ways which are unframed and in such construction it is usual to provide a metallic corner rbead that is attached to and projected from the substructure of the wall around the edges of the archways. These corner beads are. located so that when the wall is plastered to a desired thickness, the plaster is just flush with the tip of the bead so that the very corners of the arch are metallic, thereby preventing chipping of the plaster.

In order that the archway may present a. workmanlike appearance, it is necessary that the corner beads be projected horizontally from the vertical surfacesof the Wall a distance exactly the same as the desired plaster thickness and that they be projected from the horizontal surface of the archway a distance equal to the y.plaster thickness and further that the tips of y the beads be disposed in vertical and horizontal planes. The gauge of the present invention is adapted to provide -a quick and easy method of so locating the corner beads in an archway.

Referring now to the drawing in more detail, the wall section l, which may be of any preferred type of construction, has Vertical plaster receiving surface members 2 which in modern construction are usually composed of so-called plaster-board, and is also provided with a similar horizontal plaster receiving surface 3 which forms the border of the arch. `The gauge may also vbe used to attach corner beads over wooden or metal lath. Corner bead members 4,"and 5 are metallic perforated strips, usually of the general type shown in Figure 6, and itis these beads that are to berlocated with respect to the plaster receiving surfaces of the'wall.

kAs shown in the drawing, the gauge of the present invention `consists of agenerally L-shaped base member 6- which 'is' provided with a slot 1 that is located atthejunction of the two leg portions of the member and is shaped so as to fit-over the tip portion ofthe corner bead to support Athe member` B thereon. Thelslot is of such dimension that member 6 may be slid alongthe corner bead as will presently appear; Located near the freeend of one leg portion of the member 6 are guide means 8,"best seen in Figures 2 and 3, Which serve as support for a slotted gauge bar 9 upon one end of which is mounted a roller IU that is adaptedy lto bear against the vertical plaster receiving member 2 to position member 6 with respect thereto; As shown, guide means 8 consists of collared rivets engaging the edges of the bar 9, but, if desired, other guide means may beused within the teach# ings` of the invention. By means of `a scale Il on the bar 9, roller I0 can be positioned in a predetermined position so that when it engages the plaster receiving surface 2, the tip of the corner bead 4 will be disposed a predetermined distance horizontally beyond vthevertical surface 2. Members 6 carry a suitable lockingmeans such as the wing nut l2 which is projected through the slot in the member9 and is tightened to lock the member with respect to the base 6.

y Secured to and extending from the other leg portion lof the base 6 is aslotted rule` l 3.1 lDis-'` posed against this rule is a second base portion I4 which is likewise generally L-shaped and is provided with a slot I disposed in the junction of the two portions of the member and shaped to receive the tip portion of the corner bead 5, thereby to support the member on the corner bead. Mounted upon one leg portion of the base I4 are generally L-shaped guide bars I6 which engage the edges of the rule I3 to support the base I4 upon the rule, the guide bars being so shaped and adjusted that the member I4 is free to slide along the rule as required. Carslot into the rule I3 and is tightened to secureY When the end I8Y the base I4 upon the rule.

knurled wheel 3l to permit the tube 2'I and level to be turned in the collars 29 for a purpose which will presently appear.

In using the gauge of my invention, it is adjusted to the wall thickness and plaster thickness and one of the beads, 4 for example, is tacked on the wall in approximately the position that it is to occupy. The other bead is placed on the opposite corner of the wall and tacked just enough to hold it in place. The gauge is then registered with the two beads and supported thereupon. With the rollers engaging the associated surfaces of the wall, the beads will be automatically pushed or pulled into the desired position, whereupon the bead is securely Y nailed into place and the gauge moved along of the member I4 abuts against the adjacent end of the base member 6, the slots 'I and I5 will be spaced apart a distance corresponding to the distance required for a five inch wall and 'for this reason the rule markings 23 begin with 5 in alignment with the edge of the base 6. As the base I4 is moved along the rule, the thickness of the wall that the gauge is then set to accommodate may be read off of the Scale at the end I8 of the base I4, the setting shown in Figure 1 being that of a 6% inch wall.

Mounted upon the vertical leg of the base I4 are guide pins 8 which serve as supports for a guide bar I9 that is of identical construction with the guide bar 9, guide bar I9 being locked upon the base I4 by suitable means such as the wing nut 20. Guide bar I9 carries a scale 2| by which it may be set and a roller 22 that is adapted to engage the second vertical wall surface 2. As shown in the drawing, gauge bars 9 and I9 are located with their median lines aligned and parallel to the top edge of the rule I3.

@In order to gauge the distance below the plaster surface 3 so as to set the tip portion of the corner beads 'I and I5 in a horizontal plane therebelow, member 6 carries a second guide bar 9a which is of identical construction and mounted in the same manner as the bar 9 andl member I4 carries a second bar I9a which is likewise identical with the bar I9. By adjusting bars 9a and I9a to set the gauge for the desired plaster thickness, the tip portions of the corner beads 4 and 5 will automatically be brought into a plane that is parallel to the plaster receiving surface 3. Ordinarily, if the wall has been constructed in a workmanlike manner, the plane in which the tips of the corner beads 4 and 5 are so located will be a horizontal plane. However, in some instances, it may not be and for this reason the base member 6 of the gauge carries a spirit level 25 by which the horizontal position of the plane may be checked.

As will be seen in Figures l and 5, the glass tube 26 of the level 25 is encased in a metal tube 21 that is provided with a window 28 through which the bubble in the level may be observed. The metallic tube 21 is nested in collared brackets 29 that are equipped with parallel projections 39 that are disposed against the opposite faces of the base member 6. The collars 29 are secured to the base member 6 in any preferred manner, such as by rivets, and are located on the base member so that when the level bubble is centered in the window 28, the bead engaging members of the slots I and I5 will be located in a horizontal plane. Metallic tube 21 in which the level is encased is provided with a upon the bead, this operation continuing until the entire bead has been set in the desired position. The top of the archways in which cornered beads of this type are used are usually arcuate and since the gauge functions most conveniently when it is located in a plane through the radius of the arc, the level 25 must be turned so las to position the window 28 uppermost so that the bubble may be viewed through it. In practice, inA setting the corner beads on an arch, it is customary to start at the bottom of the arcuate portion ,of the arch at one end of the archway and work over the top to a corresponding point on the other side of the archway, during which operation the level will be turned through approximately degrees so as to maintain the window 28 at all times uppermost on the tube. The gauge may be used on the perpendicular portions of the archway by turning the level so that the window 28 is disposed at right angles to the plane of member 6. With' the gauge maintained in a horizontal plane at right angles to the wall surfaces, the corner beads can be located easily. If desired, these Vertical beads can be tried for plumb, in the usual manner.

The gauge of my invention may be conveniently constructed of metal, preferably a non-corrosive metal, and if desired, may be composed of a light-weight metal such as aluminum 'or an aluminum alloy. I have found, however, that a gauge composed `of steel is not unduly heavy for the purpose intended. If composed of a relatively soft metal, such as an aluminum alloy, hardened steel inserts 33 should be located in the regions of the slots 'I and I5 so as to provide a wear resistant steel surface for these slots so that they will not be worn out of size as the gauge is moved along the metallic corner bead members.

The gauge of my invention is found to be possessed of many advantages. It is of simple rugged design, can be manufactured cheaply and through its use a lather can set the corner beads in an archway in a workmanlike manner in much less time than has been heretofore possible.

While I have chosen to show my invention by illustrating and describing a preferred embodiment of it, I have done so by way of example only, as there are many modifications and adaptations which can be made by one skilled in the art within the teachings of the invention.

Having thus complied with the statutes and shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, what I consider new and ldesire to have protected by Letters Patent is pointed out in the appended claims.

What is claimed is: 1. A gauge for setting the corner beads in an archway so that the tips of the beads extend a certain distance horizontally and vertically from the wall containing the archway and are in a horizontal plane below the top of the archway, comprising, a pair of L-shaped base members each having a slot at the junction of the two portions of the member adapted to engage the corner bead to support the member thereon, a

slotted rule fixed on one of said members and projecting therefrom, guides on the other one of said members engaging said rule to mount said other member thereon, a bolt and nut on said other member and extending through the slot in the rule and engaging the rule to lock said other member with respect thereto, gauge means `on said members engaging the vertical surfaces of the wall adjacent to the archway to position the beads horizontally, and other gauge means on said members engaging the horizontal surface of the wall in the archway to position the beads vertically. v

2. A gauge for setting the corner beads in an archway .so that the tips of the beads extend a certain distance laterally and vertically from the wall containing the' archway and are in a horin zontal plane below the top of the archway, comprising, a base member having a slot adapted to fit over the bead to support the member thereon, a second base member having a slot adapted to fit over the bead to support the member thereon, a rule fixed to said first member, guide means on said second member engaging said rule to support said second member thereon, means on said second member engaging said rule to lock the two members together, a pair of slotted bars mounted on each of said members for sliding movement with respect thereto, means for locking said bars with respect to said members, and a roller mounted upon one end of each one of said bars, one of the rollers on each one of said members engaging the vertical surfaces of the wall adjacent to the archway to position the corner beads horizontally, the other one of the rollersk on each one of said members engaging the horizontal surface of said wall in said archway to position the corner beads vertically.

3. A gauge for setting the corner beads in an archway so that the tips of the beads extend a certain distance away from and below the wall containing the archway and are in a horizontal plane below the top of the archway, comprising, an L-shaped base member having a slot adapted to vengage the bead, a second L-shaped base member having a similar slot, a rule fixed to said rst member and extending therefrom, guides on said second member engaging said rule to support the member thereon, there being a slot in said rule, means on said second member extending through said slot and engaging said rule to lock the two members together, extensible gauge means on said members for engaging the vertical surfaces of the wall thereby to locate said beads horizontally, other extensible gauge means on said members for engaging the horizontal surface of the archway thereby to locate the corner beads vertically, and means locking said extensible gauge means to said members.

4. A gauge for setting the corner beads in an yarchway so that the tips of the beads extend a certain distance away from and below the wall containing the archway and are in a horizontal plane,` comprising, an extensible frame having slots for engaging the corner beads to support the gauge, gauge means extending from said frame to engage the vertical surfaces of the wall thereby to locate the corner beads horizontally, and other gauge means extending from said frame to engage the horizontal surface of the archway thereby to locate the corner beads vertically.

l 5. A gauge for setting corner beads in an archway, comprising, a pair of complementary members which together form a C-shaped base, rule means fixed to one of said members and extending over the other member, means on said other member engaging said rule means to hold the two=members together, said means permitting said other member to slide on the rule so as to make said base extensible, plaster thickness gauges mounted on said base, means for making said plaster thickness gauges adjustable so as to permit the thickness of the plaster to be Varied, and means on said base for engaging the corner beads to support the gauge thereon.

6. In a gauge, an L-shaped member having a slot at the junction of the two portions thereof, guide means on one portion of said member, a slotted bar engaging said guide means for sliding movement therein and projecting from said portion in a direction parallel to the second portion of the member, means on said member projecting through the slot in said bar and engaging the bar to lock the same with respect to the member, a roller mounted on said bar, a slotted rule iixed uponthe second portion of said member and extending therefrom, the median line of said rule being parallel to the median line of said gauge bar, a second L-shaped member having a slot at the junctionof the two portions thereof, parallel guide bars on a first portion of Said second member engaging said rule to supportk said second member thereon, said guide bars permitting movement of said second member along said rule, ymeans on said second member extending through the slot in said rule and engaging the rule to lock said second member thereon, guide means on the second portion of said second member, a slotted bar engaging said guide means for sliding movement therein and projecting said second portion in a direction parallel to the first portion of said second member, a roller mounted on said bar, and means on said second member projecting through the slot in said bar and engagingY the bar to lock the same with respect to the member. f

HERBERT HAMMERL. 

